Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-11-12
In MEXICANA.
THE STATE OF MORELOS AND ITS
HEROES.
A Theater OF Stirring Events-Lost
Art OF Alhambra Preserved by
Moorish Descendants.

mOOrlSn descendants.
Especial correspondence of the REcoRD-USIos.
CUANTLA Mex, November /, 1887.
1t viii be long time before the Next
cans recover from their establishment at
the rapid manner in which Americans
build railroads. More than sixty-five
millions of dollars have already been in
vested by American capitalists in the rail-
way movements of Mexico. When new
road IS 10 be made swarm of engineers
arrive-some young and full of theories,
others gray with services elsewhere-and
within week succeed in Transforming
their raw recruits into Woodworking bands,
every man of whom labors as though he
possessed an individual interest in the i'm
mediate completion of the enterprise.
This is partly due to the fact that Amer
cans pay higher wages than Mexican la
borers ever before enjoyed, and have dis
agreeable habit of promptly discharging
those who do not "come to time" and
partly, no doubt, because these people are
great imitators, and ready to fall into the
ways Of those around them. The
MEXICAN MANNER OF NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Is Numerically opposite to the American
plan. First concession" or permission
to build, must be obtained from the Gov
eminent, and then some point sought out,
far distant from any other railroad, and
material transferred to that place 1t
would never do to begin near the coast,
because that would establish a damaging
precedent, contrary to all Mexican tradi-
ton. By beginning at the further end of
the line, employment is furnished to
great many carriers and teamsters-which,
come to think of it, is really but simple
justice, since the road will surely destroy
the business they inherited from their
fathers-a business that otherwise would
descend to their children's children. Re
alizing this, these aggrieved citizens ac-
cordingly make stupenduous charges, with
the thrifty intent of making " hay " enough
while their sun still shines to last them
for years to come.
This method of construction requires
time and capital, but if the builders man
age carefully they will at least have the
satisfaction of offending nobodys preju-
dices, and-what is of more consequence
of receiving the sympathy of mule-owners
and dtiigeacid proprietors, who otherwise
might work great harm in thousand sly
ways. If dependent wholly on native
workers. the road will approach COM
pletion SO gradually that by and by it
will seem to the good people as if it always
had existed and by that time the portion
of road first built will need renewing
perhaps by descendants of the original
workmen, even to the third generation.
If Yankee railroad-projectors do not fancy
this thoroughly Mexican manner of pro-
cedure, they may go ahead on the Ameri-
can plan-but run their own risk of escap-
ing the bullet, the stiletto or the not less
murderous distractions that were so fire.
quently piled upon the Mexican National
and Mexican Central tracks during their
earlier days.
Continuing our tour of observation via
the Morelos Railway, which runs from
the City of Mexico across the State of
Morelos distance of eighty-six miles
having fingered at Ameca-Meca three
weeks, instead of three days, as at first in
tended-we find ample opportunity for
studying this smallest of sisterhood of
Mexican States. While chihuahua covers
has an area of only about 1000; but in
point of population she is less than 10000
behind her largest sister, and her cities
are centuries older To the north and
west Of it lies the State of Mexico, which
contains the Capital in Federal district
like our District of Columbia; on the south
is Guerrero, and on the west the great
State Of Puebla. Being in the very heart of
THE VOLCANIC REGION,
1t Is extremely mountainous, and its peo-
pie, like others who dwell among the
nights, are patriotic and Independent to a
degree which has caused considerable
trouble. Branching out from Popocatapetl
and Ixtaccihuatl are several spurs and
ranges, including that of Frio Animas, the
peaks Of Octalan and the Sierra de A jusco,
with its extinct volcano.
In the fertile valleys, especially along
the Cuantla and Cuernavaca rivers, much
sugar and coffee is grown, and tropical
fruits and flowers flourish at their best.
Though gold and silver are known to exist
in the hills, mining industry is entirely
dormant, owing to lack of energy and cap
ital. Wheat, corn and rice are specially
quoted among the products of the State,
besides alcohol, marble, cinnabar and
kaolin.
The State supports eighty primary
schools, with an average daily attendance
of 1900 pupils. There are besides a
couple Of colleges, electric lights and horse
ears in the principal cities, telegraphs and
telephones, an admirable system of water
works, and other adiuncts of civilization
But for jaw-breaking nomenclature the
villages Of Morelos bear off the palm. I'M
agine yourself riding peacefully alone
through charming mountain scenery soft
ened 10y tropical verdure, while fiendish
brakeman perpetually startles you by
shouting such names as Yecapixtla! Jan
tetelco. Joiatla Tlayacapaml Xochite-
pee! Tlaltizapan. Yautepecl Icazbalceta
Coahuixtla! and so on, through the los
villages, twelve towns and five cities found
within the five districts into which the
State is divided
The taxable property of Morelos is
officially valued at FIVE and half millions
The capital and chief city is Cuernavaca
(Which we visited some time ago., one o.
the loveliest places in the republic. 1t ha.
4 population of about $4,000. The Gov
ernor's palace was once the abode of Her.
nan Cortez, and the celebrated Agricult
ural College occupies the residence o
unlucky Macmillan.
Jonacatepec and Yautepec, each with
about 5000 inhabitants, and Tetecala, witt
$500, are important because of their sugar
mills, which between them turn out 14,00t
kilogrammes per annum, valued at nearl,
100000. While Government lands il
some portions of Mexico sell as low as
cents per acre, that of Morelos is valued a
rs 2-5 cents. One sunny October afternoon
bound for
CUANTLA AMILPAS,
The terminus of the railroad, we rounded
sharp curve where the Rio Cuantli
forces Its way through the mountains, anC
beheld it, white and glittering, in the val
ley below. This delightful old town
which was conquered by the Spaniards il